Fw: CATT Alert #43: UN Convention Short Changes Tigers

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CATT Alert #43: UN Convention Short Changes Tigers

 

 

October 12, 2006

 

After acknowledging the extreme crisis faced by wild tigers, the United

Nations convention that bans international tiger trade chose last week

to postpone decisive action on the matter for nine months.

 

This non-decision left member nations and conservationists alike

startled with disbelief. Even those countries known for their unchecked

illegal tiger trade seemed caught by surprise.

 

The matter of tigers came up during the third day of the 54th Meeting

of the Standing Committee of the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which took place in

Geneva all last week.

 

Discussion of tigers centered around two documents -- one submitted by

the CITES Secretariat and the other by the United States. The two

documents called for decisive CITES action, including possible trade

sanctions, to help stem the rapid decline of tigers in the wild and stop

rampant illegal tiger trade (both of which were well documented by

reports made available to the Standing Committee).

 

An unprecedented coalition of 13 conservation organizations spoke with

one voice to support immediate " bold and innovative action " by

CITES, especially formal initiatives to involve law enforcement

professionals in stopping tiger trade

(http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do/species/index.cfm?uNewsID=82280).

 

While various Parties intervened to agree that the tiger crisis was

escalating and that action to stop trade was imperative, China and India

intervened to say that they had plenty of political will and law

enforcement to stop tiger trafficking. In response, the Standing

Committee fell silent, and the Chairman ended discussion with the

conclusion that the matter be brought up at the next Conference of the

Parties in June 2007. In essence, the Standing Committee chose to do

nothing for the most endangered species on its agenda

(http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/oct2006/2006-10-11-01.asp).

 

" This meeting was the perfect opportunity to take action, but the

Committee turned its back on tigers, " said Debbie Banks of the

Environmental Investigation Agency, which supplied the Standing

Committee with photographic proof of ongoing tiger skin trade in China.

 

" The biggest problem facing tigers today is illegal trade between

India and China, yet neither country showed willingness to step up

efforts to tackle the urgent problem, " said Sue Leiberman, head of

WWF's species program. " How bad does it need to get for tigers

before governments take the necessary action? "

 

It was as if the CITES Standing Committee did not want to touch

anything that might upset the two emerging world powers.

 

However, the week was somewhat redeemed for tigers by the CITES

Secretariat, under an agenda item on enforcement of the Convention.

Here the Secretariat underscored the evidence of continued open illegal

trade in tiger skins in China and the fact that China has confirmed that

it is exploring whether to reopen trade in tiger parts from farmed

tigers, both of which are " in contravention " of CITES.

 

In the end, the Standing Committee requested that China report to the

Secretariat by the end of January 2007 on its efforts to stop illegal

trade in endangered Asian big cats as well as its intentions to lift its

domestic ban on tiger trade. Following receipt of this report, the

Secretariat is directed to go to China to verify enforcement work and

report back to the Conference of the Parties in June, at which time the

Parties would decide whether " stronger measures " should be taken.

 

This good news was somewhat overshadowed near the end of the meeting

when China's delegation distributed a " fact sheet " which asserts

that bans on tiger trade have failed and that perhaps legalizing trade

would be a better alternative -- especially now that China has more than

4,000 captive-bred tigers on farms. The suggestion prompted some

observers to ask whether the unabated illegal tiger trade repeatedly

documented in China works to the advantage of the tiger farming lobby?

 

 

China's last-minute document disputes reports of illegal trade in

tiger-bone wine and criticizes conservation groups for publishing

results of recent investigations of tiger skin trade, accusing the

groups of warning off traffickers before Chinese law enforcement

officials can act on the information. (It should be noted that the

groups in question had given their information to the Chinese government

prior to publication precisely so that action could have be taken.)

Again the question was asked: Does unabated illegal tiger trade work to

the advantage of those pushing to legalize trade in products from farmed

tigers?

 

In the final odd twist of the week, China's document seemed to mark a

reversal in messaging that has up till now insisted tiger bone trade

must be reopened to meet the demands of traditional Chinese medicine

(TCM).

 

" China cannot understand the reasons why it is so often stated in the

media that parts of wild tigers are recommended in the ingredients of

TCMs, " the document says. " *TCM does not correspond to this view.

Continued publication of such misinformation is not only an insult to

TCM practitioners, but also serves to stimulate demand for wild tiger

products. "

 

Does this mean that tiger bone is not needed for TCM, as many in the

TCM industry have been saying for a while now? Or is the real message

that wild tiger bone is not preferred, therefore, farmed bone will

suffice -- making another argument in favor of tiger farming? Our

continued work with the international TCM community and its leadership

in Beijing tells us that tiger bone from any source is not needed or

wanted by TCM. Furthermore, the CITES resolution on Asian big cats

discourages trade in tiger parts and derivatives even from captive-bred

specimens because the risks to wild tigers inherent in tiger farming

outweigh any conservation benefits.

 

Let us hope that the CITES Parties find their voice on these matters

come June. Failing to do so will make them party to the final decline

to extinction of wild tigers.

 

Thank you for your interest keeping tigers wild,

 

Judy

 

Judy Mills

Campaign Against Tiger Trafficking (CATT): An organized response to an

organized crime

 

 

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